The Water Table

Jamie Duininck

A place to learn about agricultural water management topics that impact our industry. Jamie Duininck hosts thought-provoking discussions with a wide variety of experts on topics such as drainage best practices, product standards, conservation efforts, land values, crop health, economic impact, system design, and safety issues.

  1. 2025 Wrapped: A Year in Ag Water Management

    2D AGO

    2025 Wrapped: A Year in Ag Water Management

    As we close out another year, The Water Table looks back on the conversations that shaped 2025. In this special "2025 Wrapped" episode, we’ve curated highlights from our most impactful discussions—from Ducks Unlimited to the high-tech future of drainage modeling. Host Jamie Duininck and guest host Trey Allis revisit stories of multi-generational family businesses, the critical role of recycled plastics in pipe manufacturing, and the evolving mindset around water as a resource to be managed rather than a problem to be solved. Whether discussing the effects of tariffs on agriculture or the rigorous licensing of contractors in Ontario, this year has been a testament to the growth and professionalism of our industry. Join us for this retrospective as we celebrate another year in Ag water management. Chapters: 00:00 - Welcome to 2025 Wrapped 00:14 - John Schwartz: Vision and Teamwork in the Swine Industry 01:19 - Samantha Ewald: Wetlands as the Kidneys of the Earth 03:03 - Jamie Duininck: The Minnesota State Fair Experience 03:50 - Lauren Lewandowski Hamer: Recycling and Local Manufacturing in Minnesota 04:32 - Jamie Duininck: The Backbone of the Drainage Industry 04:50 - Tim & Pattie Krengel: Multi-Generational Legacies 06:01 - Toban Dyck: Agriculture Across the Great Plains 07:41 - Chad Klotzbach: Managing Water Quality and Quantity 08:43 - Jamie Duininck: The First Ever Water Table Live 10:59 - Mel Luymes: Legislation and Licensing in Ontario 12:24 - Karl Guetter: Insights on the 2024 and 2025 Seasons 13:14 - Chuck Brandel: LiDAR Drones and Cost-Effective Modeling Episodes Featured in 2025 Wrapped: 118: Accidental Advocate for the Drainage Industry119: Revolutionizing Drainage: Improving Infrastructure with Technology121: Navigating the Challenges & Opportunities of Being a Farmer122: Drainage in Ontario: Balancing Agriculture & the Environment.123: Drainage Contractors' Questions Answered - Live!124: Who Pays? The Impact of Tariffs on U.S. and Canadian Ag126: From the Ground Up: A Legacy of Breaking Barriers & Land Stewardship131: Schwartz Farms: A Business Built On Shared Purpose & Embracing Change132: Ducks Unlimited: Balancing Wetland Conservation & Agricultural Production135: A Fair Deal: Recycling & Giving Plastics New LifeFind us on social media! Facebook Twitter InstagramListen on these podcast platforms: Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube MusicYouTubeVisit our website to explore more episodes & water management education.

    16 min
  2. Clean Water is Everyone's Responsibility | #140

    DEC 9

    Clean Water is Everyone's Responsibility | #140

    In the quest for better water quality, farmers and city residents share a vital common goal: protecting our shared water resources by managing runoff. Host Jamie Duininck speaks with Ann Zawistoski and Sophie Wicklund of the Adopt-a-Drain program to draw a direct line between agricultural and urban water management practices. Just as farmers use practices like buffer strips, bioreactors, and controlled drainage to minimize nutrient loss, our “city cousins" clean their local storm drains to prevent urban pollutants like leaves and debris from entering waterways. Adopt-a-Drain empowers the public to take responsibility for stormwater management, recognizing that urban stormwater runoff is a major source of water pollution. The program encourages residents to adopt a storm drain near their home and clean it just twice a month. This simple, hands-on approach transforms the public's understanding of their impact on the watershed, leading to broader behavioral changes. The collective results prove the power of individual action, with over 30,000 adopted drains and nearly one million pounds of debris removed across the country. Tune in to discover the powerful parallels between urban and agricultural water quality practices and how community engagement is successfully working toward clean water for everyone. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 00:36 Adopt-a-Drain Guest Introductions 01:57 The Urban Stormwater Challenge 04:00 How the Adopt-a-Drain Program Works 05:40 Nearly 1 Million Pounds of Debris Removed 06:35 Behavior Change 07:50 Adopt-a-Drain's Origins and Inspiration 10:52 Why Small, Frequent Cleanings Make a Big Difference 13:56 Engaging Participants Year-Round 15:53 Funding and Partnerships 19:42 The Parallels to Ag Water Management 25:39 Expanding the Movement Related Content: #138 | Set It & Forget It... Making Controlled Water Management Accessible with Agri Drain#56 | A More Efficient Approach to Water Quality: Batch and Build#14 | Opportunities in Water QualityAdopt-a-DrainFind us on social media! Facebook Twitter InstagramListen on these podcast platforms: Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube MusicYouTubeVisit our website to explore more episodes & water management education.

    28 min
  3. #139 | Right Place, Right Time; Conservation Hitting The Mark

    NOV 25

    #139 | Right Place, Right Time; Conservation Hitting The Mark

    Who can help with funding water quality practices on your land? Guest Host Trey Allis sits down with Rita Weaver, Chief Engineer at the Minnesota Board of Water & Soil Resources (BWSR), to discuss soil health, water management practices, and water-quality programs happening throughout the state. They break down specific projects, funding, and tools helping producers take on water and soil challenges. Learn how opportunities with conservation — adding practices in the right place at the right time  — are making an impact.  Chapters: 00:00 - Intro 00:33 - Welcome to The Water Table podcast 00:40 - Introducing Rita Weaver 01:57 - Chief Engineer Role at BWSR 03:05 - Agency Impact on Water Quality 03:52 - Major Projects and Funding (Where’s The Money Going)  05:05 - Opportunities With Improvement Projects   08:15 - Larger Scale Conservation Practices and Improvements 08:51 - BWSR Water Quality and Storage Program  09:46 - Funding: Grant Application Process  10:52 - Future Funding: How Far Will Funding Go 13:35 - Storage Practice End Goal  14:45 - What Does Soil Health Mean To You 17:02 - The Effect of Too Much Water, Too Little Water 18:00 - Water Quality Issues and Solutions 22:20 - How Flooding Affects High Benefitting Areas  24:09 - Did You Always Want To Work For BWSR 27:07 - Thank You Rita  27:30 - How To Contact BWSR 27:50 - Wrap-up Related content: #132 | Ducks Unlimited: Balancing Wetland Conservation & Agricultural Production#114 | Crumbling Ag Drainage Infrastructure = Unique Upgrade Opportunities#87 | Who Supports the Boots on the Ground!?! (Hint: it’s LICA)… On the Road#77 | How 5 Million Dollars, 39 Test Sites & 29 Bright Minds are Transforming DrainageFind us on social media! FacebookTwitter InstagramListen on these podcast platforms: Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube MusicYouTubeVisit our website to explore more episodes & water management education.

    28 min
  4. #138 | Set It & Forget It… Making Controlled Water Management Accessible

    NOV 11

    #138 | Set It & Forget It… Making Controlled Water Management Accessible

    Control structures— Can you really set ‘em and forget ‘em? Guest Host Trey Allis is joined by Scott Lukan, Agri Drain President, and Josh Shuler, Agri Drain Product & Business Manager, to dig into controlled water management. They break down the scalable solutions available to the industry and the role of Agri Drain in making them more approachable. Learn how these “levers” are helping farmers and landowners reduce nutrient loss and gain greater control over their water and pocketbooks. Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to The Water Table podcast 00:42 Introducing Scott and Josh 01:52 About Agri Drain 03:00 Water Level Control Structures 06:30 Precipitation and Crop Needs 08:30 Set It & Forget It: Setting A Schedule 10:15 Benefits of Controlled Drainage 14:37 Dry Years Versus Wet Years 17:07 Innovative Product Lines 19:05 Inside View of Structures and Valves 23:06 Phones, Cameras, and Monitoring 25:15 Practices That Maximize Effectiveness  31:38 Performance Reports 33:01 Retrofitting Existing Tile Systems 42:15 Weather Patterns and Adaptability 44:10 Innovation and the Future of Controlled Water Management 47:02 Wrap-up Related content: #119 | Revolutionizing Drainage - Improving Infrastructure with Technology #114 | Crumbling Ag Drainage Infrastructure = Unique Upgrade Opportunities#110 | Bridging the Gap Between Water Management Research & Application#46 | How the Next Generation is Using Technology to Take Ag to the Next LevelFind us on social media! Facebook Twitter InstagramListen on these podcast platforms: Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube MusicYouTubeVisit our website to explore more episodes & water management education.

    47 min
  5. #137 | Harvest Check-in 2025: Yields All Over the Map

    OCT 28

    #137 | Harvest Check-in 2025: Yields All Over the Map

    How’s this year’s harvest? Jamie is checking in with farmers across the Midwest for an update on the harvest season — what’s going well, what’s been challenging, and how weather patterns, market shifts, and community efforts are shaping the season. From early planting to the impact of heavy rainfall on yield projections, you’ll hear an honest, down-to-earth conversation about the challenges and opportunities facing agriculture in our region.  Chapters: 00:00 - Welcome to the Water Table Podcast 01:54 - Introducing Al Giese 02:48 - Commodity prices and current down cycle  03:32 - Ethanol’s strong demand  05:24 - The impact of weather and disease on crop yields 09:20 - How was this year’s harvest? 11:57 - Checking in with Dylan Erickson 13:57 - Harvest update from Western Minnesota  18:52 - Chippewa County and soybean expectations 22:25 - Effect of changing weather patterns    22:42 - Touching base with Karl Guetter 25:48 - Dry fall weather and early finish    33:22 - Update wrap-up Related Content: #134 | Beyond the Squeeze Test: How Unseen Variables Cost Farmers#121 | Navigation the Challenges & Opportunities of Being a Farmer#55 | How Changing Weather Patterns Impact the Stability of Your Farm#52 | An Ag Economist Tells All: Critical Topics Impacting the Future of AgFind us on social media! Facebook Twitter InstagramListen on these podcast platforms: Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube MusicYouTubeVisit our website to explore more episodes & water management education.

    35 min
  6. #136 | From Worry to Water Management: How Fairgoers Feel About Water Quality

    OCT 14

    #136 | From Worry to Water Management: How Fairgoers Feel About Water Quality

    When it comes to water quality, what do people really think? Host Jamie Duininck took The Water Table podcast on the road to the Minnesota State Fair to interview fairgoers and hear their concerns. You'll hear genuine, on-the-spot answers, covering everything from local lake health to field runoff to worries about nitrates and other materials reaching the water table. Jamie and Prinsco Application Engineer, Trey Allis, unpack these conversations to address concerns and discuss how water management practices, such as control structures, offer solutions for improved water quality. Chapters: 00:00 - Welcome to the Water Table Podcast 00:28 - Today’s guest Trey Allis 01:40 - Discussing water quality at the State Fair  03:00 - Importance of water quality 03:35 - The effect of runoff, impervious soils and algae 04:46 - Concerns about the impact of agriculture    07:35 - Water management practices and implementation 12:16 - Sub-irrigation, drainage recycling and other opportunities 17:55 - Let’s talk about research 18:45 - Nitrate issues and control drainage 22:42 - New contractors and the use of technology  25:49 - Adopt a storm drain 29:10 - Wrap-up Related Content #129: The Tipping Point: Accelerating Agricultural Water Quality & Soil Retention#116: A Unified Voice & Vision for Ag Water Management #103: Rapping About Drainage– A Water Table First!Best Practice: Controlled Drainage  Find us on social media! Facebook Twitter Instagram Listen on these podcast platforms Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube MusicYouTube Visit our website to explore more episodes & water management education.

    29 min
  7. #135 | A Fair Deal: Recycling & Giving Plastics New Life

    SEP 30

    #135 | A Fair Deal: Recycling & Giving Plastics New Life

    Jamie takes a trip to the Great Minnesota Get-Together to talk with people and hear their thoughts on recycling, water quality, and products made from post-consumer plastics. He had some great conversations, including a chat with Lauren from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. They discussed how HDPE plastics can be recycled to make products like picnic tables and birdhouses--as well as drainage pipe, which uses a large volume of post-consumer plastic. Jamie also talked with Ann and Jennifer from the University of Minnesota Extension about the opportunities that exist to educate young people about local water quality, the role that plastic pipe manufacturing plays in recycling efforts, and potential careers in the water management industry. The last conversation in this episode is with Jacob from By the Yard, a Minnesota-based company that manufactures and sells lawn furniture made from recycled plastic. He and Jamie discuss their shared goal of keeping plastic out of landfills and how rewarding it is to do something good with recycled plastics. Chapters: 00:00 - Welcome to the Water Table Podcast 00:35 - Visiting the Minnesota State Fair 01:47 - Recycling plastics into new products 03:07 - From milk jugs to drainage pipe 06:30 - Why water matters locally 08:20 - Opportunities for educating young people 09:45 - Doing something good with recycled plastics 13:16 - Closing remarks Related content: #67 | Sustainability and Resilience - How the Plastic Pipe Industry is on the Forefront#05.1 | The Science Behind Making Pipe: Part 01#05.2 | The Science Behind Making Pipe: Part 02Water Quality resources from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency University of Minnesota ExtensionBy the Yard Outdoor Furniture Find us on social media! Facebook Twitter Instagram Listen on these podcast platforms: Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube MusicYouTube Visit our website to explore more episodes & water management education.

    16 min
  8. #134 | Beyond the Squeeze Test: How Unseen Variables Cost Farmers

    SEP 2

    #134 | Beyond the Squeeze Test: How Unseen Variables Cost Farmers

    Some of the biggest risks in quality are the ones you can’t see. Pipe might look fine or feel strong in your hands, but hidden issues like uneven wall thickness, poor resin blends, or the wrong corrugation profile could cause pipe to fail in the field years after installation. In part two of our Perspectives on Pipe Quality series, Jamie Duininck sits down with Paul Schrupp, Director of Quality and Continuous Improvement at Prinsco, to unpack these unseen factors and explain why quality depends on science, testing, and design. They talk about resin properties, thickness distribution, cold-weather brittleness, UV protection using carbon black, and the role of ASTM standards in protecting farmers. True quality is not obvious at first glance. It is built into every step of the process so that pipe in the ground will perform for decades and create long-term value for farm families and communities. Chapters: 00:00 - Welcome Back 01:00 - Paul’s Role in Quality 02:20 - What Quality Really Means 04:10 - Beyond ASTM Minimums 05:45 - The Squeeze Test Problem 07:30 - Corrugation Profiles & Temperature 09:10 - The Plastic Chair Example 10:30 - Longevity and Service Life 12:00 - Carbon Black and Sun Exposure 14:00 - Industry Standards 16:00 - Longevity Builds Wealth 17:30 - Risks of Cutting Corners 19:30 - Final Thoughts Related content: #133 | Perspectives on Pipe Quality: Delivering Generations of Yield with Tony Kime#129 | The Tipping Point: Accelerating Agricultural Water Quality & Soil Retention#07 | Engineering Water Quality: Bioreactors, Saturated Buffers & More“Perspectives on Pipe Quality” Playlist on YouTube Find us on social media! FacebookTwitterInstagram Listen on these podcast platforms: Apple PodcastsSpotifyYouTube MusicYouTube Visit our website to explore more episodes & water management education.

    21 min
5
out of 5
21 Ratings

About

A place to learn about agricultural water management topics that impact our industry. Jamie Duininck hosts thought-provoking discussions with a wide variety of experts on topics such as drainage best practices, product standards, conservation efforts, land values, crop health, economic impact, system design, and safety issues.

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